The next morning found Melody thinking over the past three years. How much had changed, and how she just wanted a little piece of the normal life she had always dreamed for herself. Part of her plan had been going to college. Having one more chance to make friends. She wouldn't ever change anything she had in her life. She had always wanted to be married and have a family. But it had taken Melody a while to accept the concept of the mate bond, over the past three years, Alexander had been the most perfect partner she could have ever dreamed up. He supported her and studied with her for hours so Melody could test out of highschool after leaving their last highschool before the end of the year and graduation. Then for a honeymoon for lack of a better word, they had toured packs all over North America, until Melody said she was tired and ready to be at home, travelling while pregnant as a teenager hadn't been the most fun. The wolves were always ecstatic, another alpha continuing his fam

The weeks went on, Melody was excelling academically, while still struggling to make connections and friends. It didn't help that everywhere she went there was a seven foot tall lumbering, and unfriendly wolf nearby. The other students didn't know Cyrus was a wolf of course, but his presence was more than enough to ensure there was always a wide berth around Melody. She had tried eating at the dining hall a few times, beseeching Cyrus to sit at least a table or two over but his aura was too imposing, and Melody just ended up eating alone anyways. At least the guard for the nursery was a little more subtle. Kara didn't stand out at all, quiet and relatively short for a wolf, no one thought twice about the pretty red haired girl reading a book in the alcove near the nursery day after day. But anyone who thought she was too small to be effective protection would be firmly shown their error. Kara was one of the best assassins Alexander had ever met. The woman was deadly, armed or not.Eve

Alexander as expected became more on edge when Melody said the girls were also going to a club. But once again, Melody was sure Alexander could send a body guard to follow her in and keep her safe. Clubs were public, full of people and she was going to be with a bunch of friends.After a very long conversation with Guillermo where Melody could only hear Alexander ask question after question until with a resigned sigh he said it seemed safe enough. Melody was bouncing on her toes as she stepped over to kiss her giant mate. Baby steps. Now that she had better idea of exactly what was the start of his anxiety she thought that the more she proved to him that she was safe, that she could go out the better it would be. She shouldn't have let him restrict her movements so much, she realized looking back that she should have tried to still have some of her own life. But she was still young even now, and had less than a year to get used to the paranormal world before she was mated and pregnan

Melody's tummy was full of fluttering butterflies after she said good bye to her daughter and Alexander and followed Delia to her car. Cyrus had a tag in Melody's bag to help him follow at a distance so Delia didn't get nervous. Melody hadn't really gone out with friends since before she moved to Maine and met Alexander, and since then all her socializing was with wolves at their own, private events. Melody was anxious that she would embarrass herself or not fit in at the club.She was worrying the inside of her cheek with her teeth, when Delia chimed with her happy pleasant voice, "You don't need to be nervous, we'll just head back to my place, get changed and ready and then we can head back into the city, grab dinner and then head over to Ruby's.""I'm not nervous" Melody lied, her voice light and airy, hiding how tense she was inside. Delia gave her a side eye that let Melody know her friend knew she was lying.Delia kept the happy banter up on the relatively short drive to her hom

Melody had seen the familiar little uninteresting Kia base model car in the parking lot of Ruby's building as they bundled into the cab, and knew Cyrus was right behind them as they headed to their next destination. Melody was a little glad to have the grumpy wolf around in case anything went wrong. She was doing her best to ignore her fears that lingered just below the surface. Once you've been kidnapped, only a hundred meters from safety it's hard to forget that danger could be anywhere ever again.The girls were dropped off on a nondescript street downtown. Most of the block occupied by a very functional parking garage and old industrial looking buildings. Minnie had Rena by the hand as she nearly ran down to the mouth of a side street, Ruby had Delia and Melody linked by each of her elbows as she strode, confident on her tall heels making her tower higher than she already was after the happy couple.Everyone carefully made their way down the stairs of the side alley to a red door,